New England Patriots running back Stevan Ridley loosens up during practice at the team's NFL football facility in Foxborough, Mass., Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013. The Patriots host the Houston Texans in an AFC divisional playoff game on Sunday. AP

Coach Bill Belichick has apparently ramped things up this week by loading the ball up with vaseline, grease, baby powder and water to help his running backs get ready for the Houston Texans, who caused two fumbles in a Dec. 10 meeting with the Patriots.

"I seen a little bit of it, but the beauty of my job is that I don't have to touch the ball," offensive lineman Nate Solder said.

Running back Stevan Ridley spoke in depth about the need to protect the ball this week. Ridley fumbled in back-to-back weeks against Houston and the San Francisco 49ers, and learned the cost of not holding onto the ball last year when Belichick shut him down for the AFC title game and Super Bowl after dropping the ball in the divisional round.

He's determined to avoid a similar letdown this year.

"Can't have it. It's crunch time, man. Turnovers, however they come -- fumbles, interceptions, drops -- we can't have that," Ridley said. " It's all up there. Everything is front of us right now. So what we do with it form here, I don't want to be the guy they're pointing the finger at."

Darren Haynes of WHDH 7 News in Boston talked to Ridley about the different techniques being used to practice ball security in a segment that will air at 6 p.m.